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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29298768">A Received Prayer</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tuesdaycoming/pseuds/tuesdaycoming'>tuesdaycoming</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Heart of Aphrodite Week 2021 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aphroditian hospitality, Divine Encounters, F/F, Fade to Black, Foreplay, Religious Imagery &amp; Symbolism, Self-Doubt, theheartofaphrodite2021, with a goddess</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:07:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>739</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29298768</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tuesdaycoming/pseuds/tuesdaycoming</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"You are our guest, Azubuike. Our Lady Aphrodite tells us of the importance of hospitality.” </p><p>Azu experiences some self doubt in Cairo, and has a religious experience.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aphrodite/Azu (Rusty Quill Gaming)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Heart of Aphrodite Week 2021 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2151867</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>The Heart of Aphrodite</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Received Prayer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The Heart of Aphrodite Week- Day 1: “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” - Oscar Wilde. Confidence - Affirmation</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Cairo wind beats sand against the pitted glass of Azu’s bedroom. It isn’t much of a room, really. When Azu arrived, she’d assured Eren Fairhands she would be comfortable in one of the communal areas. Room to stretch out, to talk, to touch. He’d looked at her and the tilt of his head felt like judgment handed down. “No,” he’d said. “No, it seems,” his eyes flicked around her body, “a private room. You are our guest, Azubuike. Our Lady Aphrodite tells us of the importance of hospitality.” </p><p> “Yes, but ‘guest’ isn’t—” Azu had stopped at Fairhand’s pointed expression. She did not want to disappoint him, even if his expectations of her rose no higher than guest. She would show him in time, but for now, “Thank you.” She’d said. “I’m sure it will be wonderful.” </p><p>Azu lies in a bed her feet nearly stretch out of, head far up on her pillow to conserve space. It isn’t wonderful but she doesn’t cry. Her mother always told her she was a loud crier, and though the walls are thick, she doesn’t want to risk being heard to be so ungrateful. Instead, Azu turns to her side and curls her legs up close to her chest. She places her hand above her heart and whispers a prayer for strength, for guidance, to be steered toward love for those who do not yet know how to love her back. </p><p>She feels, as she often does in her prayers when she is alone, a warmth seep into her, spreading out from her open palm. “Thank you, Aphrodite.” Azu mummers. </p><p>A whisper of a honeyed voice slips in past the window glass to curl beside Azu’s ear. “You are loved, loved, loved,” it echos and fades.</p><p>The heat of the day broke as soon as the sun slipped below the horizon, but Aphrodite’s house is built to hold warm air close to the skin. It had seemed reasonable to sleep without clothing in the way, but Azu finds it isn’t a chill that sets her shaking. She bites her lip and turns to her back, one knee up and other laying against the soft sheets. </p><p>“Aphrodite?” Azu doesn’t dare speak her name above a whisper. There is a sound, her ears popping, and then Azu feels the mattress at her feet dip low with an otherworldly weight. </p><p>“My pretty paladin.” The voice is a layered chime of everyone who has ever given Azu a kind word and a few she imagines are yet to come. Azu does not dare look down. She feels a hand, hot as fresh blood smoothing up her ankle, and her breath catches. Aphrodite laughs. “You have already seen me once, Azubuike. Surely I am lovely enough to look on again?” </p><p>“Yes!” Azu rushes, her words and eyes not managing to keep up with each other, and Aphrodite is there, kneeling at the foot of Azu’s bed. <i>Kneeling</i> with her head tipped down to rest her cheek against her calf and her hand creeping up to play at the soft hair on her thigh. Azu, propped up on her elbows to look her goddess in the eye, cannot keep from making a noise at the sight of her. “Oh. Oh, my Lady. You’re beautiful.” </p><p>Aphrodite flutters her eyelashes. Azu thinks she may faint. “I know.” </p><p>“I would serve you. I headed your call; I’m here in Cairo,” Azu knows there is nothing she can say that Aphrodite does not already know. The goddess knows her heart already. It was freely given. Still, Azu speaks. “Aphrodite, if you don’t mind me saying, I’m a little lost for what comes next.” </p><p>“You say your prayers and make an offering of yourself to me.” Aphrodite’s voice swells for a moment with the order. </p><p>Azu feels herself grow flush. “Gladly. But—” Aphrodite lifts her head, “I sort of meant in a broader sense. My Lady.” </p><p>It is a special sort of bliss, to make a goddess laugh. Even if it is at her own expense. “Don’t you trust me, my Azu?” </p><p>“I love you.” </p><p>“And you will love who I have brought you here for.” Azu lets Aphrodite crawl on to the bed, so much larger now than she had seemed at the foot of it, and put a hand over her own. “Show me how you like to pray.” Azu guides her goddess’s hand down, and sings for her, a benediction.</p>
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